Stewardship

VELCO strives to maintain its transmission corridors in an environmentally sound manner which promotes habitat for Vermont’s wildlife and benefits its rare flora and fauna.

These pictures are of Harsh Sunflowers, a protected rare species which VELCO protected during the construction of the 370 line and will continue to monitor for the next several years pursuant to the NRP project’s plans and permits.

Osprey Nesting Programs

VELCO has been involved with protecting and creating safe Osprey nests since the early 1990’s. Our crews have constructed successful nesting platforms at Colchester Pond in Colchester, at the Sand Bar Wildlife Management Area in Milton, in winter of 2005 near Lake Memphremagog and most recently in the winter of 2007/2008 on the shore of South Slang in Ferrisburg.

This project was special because it involved dismantling an existing nest and relocating it on a new nesting platform erected especially for this breeding pair.

VELCO Honored for Wildlife Habitat Work

VELCO participated in the Northern Forest Woodcock Initiative, a wildlife habitat improvement project on the Silvio O. Conte National Wildlife Refuge in Northern Essex County. In an effort to assist the National Wildlife Refuge, VELCO revitalized the woodcock habitat adjacent to our transmission right of way. The first phase of the 20-year began with the clearing of approximately 26 acres of land within the refuge, under the direction of the USFWS Biologists & Foresters.